Research Paper

Volume : 1 | Issue : 7 | Dec 2012 • ISSN No 2277 - 8179 Education KEYWORDS : Vision, education Sir ’s Vision on Education

Dr. Nasrin Associate Professor, Department of Education, Muslim University, Aligarh Uttar Pradesh

ABSTRACT Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was great intellectual, a radical thinker, a keen historian, an enlightened and forward looking educationists. The western denomination which lasted until 1945 has crumbled and in its place a politi- cally conscious new world has arrived to which the Muslim belong. In each type of Muslim society various types of revolution erupt which often passed the rubric of Islam. One such was globalization and modernization whose fire were stroked by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. In the long run this plan would prove to be a creative and decisively shape the societies of Muslim India. Sir Syed held the view that education was a means of fostering and cultivating the inherent potentialities of the child. He accepted that any method of teach- ing that makes the learner creative and constructive should be followed. He emphasized that for smooth functioning of education institutions, sympathetic, imaginative and democratic system of administration is essential. He believed that it would be easier for Indians to study different disciplines of studies through vernacular medium. On the whole, one can conclude that Sir Syed’s vision on Education was a link between traditional and modern education. His educational ideas got practical shape in the form of Moham- madan Anglo Oriental College then rose to an academic institution i.e. Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh.

Mubtalaa ye dard koi azu ho, roti hai aankh Syed was opposed because of his religious ideas and the inter- Kis qadar jism ki hamdard hoti hai aankh pretation of the Holy Quran from modern angle. To meet the challenges of Christian Missionaries and to prove that Islam - Dr. Allama Mohammad Iqbal was not hostile to science, Syed started writing Tafseer-e-Quran (commentary of the Quran) with a new interpretation based on An eye weeps when each and every part of our body is suffering; rationalism. Syed Ahmad believed in ijtihad (re-interpretation How sympathetic it is to the entire organism. of religious concepts according to the urgency of the time). To face the challenges, a modern ilm-e-kalam was needed and Syed Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was and is like an eye to the Muslim com- turned to it and interpreted the issues with the spirit of the age. munity. He was worried if any of his fellow Muslim suffered. He Not caring the traditional approach he gave a ‘liberal and pro- took an oath to educate, reform and empower Muslims. He was gressive interpretation’ on many popular concepts. This shows gifted with a rare vision and far ahead of his times. He was a that Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was a great man. His mission was to great intellectual, a radical thinker, an erudite theologian, a keen change yourself according to need of the time. historian, an enlightened and forward looking educationist, an outstanding literary genius, an apostle of secularism and a Hin- Sir Syed Ahmad founded the All India Mohammadan Education- du-Muslim unity and a very distinguished architect of modern al Conference to disseminate the message of the Aligarh Move- India. ment to every corner of the country.

Western education and science was not the only thing that Syed The structure of western domination, which lasted until 1945, wanted to introduce to his co-religionists. The Muslim commu- has crumbled, and in its place a politically conscious new world nity in the nineteenth century was so strangled in social evils has appeared to which the Muslims belong. In each Muslim so- that social reforms was a necessity. Whenever any new thing ciety different kinds of revolution erupt, which often pass under was put to them they would refuse it on religious grounds. the rubric of Islam. The picture was indeed complex. One such Hence, Syed, alongwith a new type of education, wanted to re- revolution in “Muslim India” was that of modernization and glo- form the society as he thought that the social evils were the root cause of Muslim degeneration. he, therefore, turned to cure the In the long run, this revolution would prove to be creative and decisivelybalization shapewhose the fires Muslim were societiesstaked by in Sir India, Sayyid and Ahmad indeed Khan.in the larger world of Islam. Inroot England cause andhe studied thought the that whole the treehistory would of cultural itself flourish. development and noticed that in their reformation, two papers, The TATLER Now the question arises how did the Muslims respond in the and the SPECTATOR (edited by Addison and Steele respectively) nineteenth century to the triumphant march of western civiliza- of the eighteenth century had played a major role. He planned to tion. The British East India company conquered Bengal in 1756, publish a similar paper to combat conservatism and give a new - turn to the thinking of his community. Hence having reached In- cantly responded to the cultural thrust of the west. Out of the dia Syed Ahmad started a paper and named it Tahzib ul Akhlaq internalbut it was dynamics not until ofafter traditional 1857 that Muslim the Muslims Society in appearedIndia signifi Sir - Syed Ahmad Khan (1817-1898) who realistically grasped the tices which hampered modern education among Muslims and challenge of modernization which British rule had brought to told(Refinement his co-religionists of Manners) that in Islam which had he never attacked been the opposed social toprac the India. He led the Muslims to enter the stream of modernization acquisition of any science and literature. through four avenues of reform: political, educational, religious and social like other pioneers of modernity in Asia and Africa, The next thing which Syed Ahmad wanted to know were the he used journalism to communicate with his fellow Muslims. causes which prevented the Muslims from acquiring English ed- His intellectual legacy is abiding, even though his tactics are no ucation. He himself knew them but he wanted the Muslim com- longer relevant. However, in order to appreciate his role it might munity to speak themselves about it. he formed a committee on - December 26, 1870 known as Committee Khwastgar Taraqi-e- tions and promises for Indian Muslim society. Musalmanan-e-Hindustan i.e. “(the committee for the Better be well to define modernization and globalization, its limita and Advancement of Learning Amongst the Muslims of India)”. Sir Sayyid grasped the challenge of modernity slowly, and ap- This committee was to study the causes which prevented the preciated its possibilities for the Muslims after his visit to Brit- Muslims from availing of the advantages emitting from western ain in 1869. During his formative years (1817-1857), which education. The committee announced three prizes of Rs. 500/-, were mostly spent in , he remained a traditional Muslim, Rs. 300/- and Rs. 150/- I, II and III respectively. 25 articles (in largely seeking validation of his convictions and behaviour by some places 35 articles have been mentioned but Syed has writ- reference to generally established prescriptive Islamic norms. ten 25) were received by the committee. Sir Sayyid and the Muslim society in Delhi were exposed to mo-

60 IJSR - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH Research Paper dernity by virtue of their contact with the tiny British society Volume : 1 | Issue : 7 | Dec 2012 • ISSN No 2277 - 8179 and the modern Delhi college, which were established in Delhi with the advent of the British rule in 1803. The British rule not country was similar to theirs to which the fish answered in the only introduced Delhi’s citizens to a new subject culture, but inaffirmative, a swing, and adding disported that it themselves, was a bright, and good that country, it was very swept broad by also initiated a period of social mobilization which prepared the anda fine long. wind, On which hearing raised this awaves frog came in which out afishes foot fromwere the rocked side asof Muslims, especially after 1857, to accept the process of change the well, and said “what I As long and as broad as the distance from traditional to modern ways of life. frog came another foot out, and again put his question to the After the revolt of 1857, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan realized that the I have come from the well?” The fish said, “Much greater”. The well-being future of fellow Muslims depended on two major fac- same answer the further he went, until he got to the opposite tors i.e. western education and the ability to understand and fish, which said, “much greater”. The frog went on, getting the mix freely with the British. he has worked compassionately for reply. The frog said, “you lie, it cannot be larger than this”. Just all these ideals but had come to the conclusion that his plans atside this of themoment well. Askeda man the let samedown question, a bucket theand fish drew gave water the same thus would be realized only when he visit to England himself.

At that time it was not so easy, for a man like Sir Syed, whose saying,causing “those small wavesthings onthat the you surface. have never The frogseen, asked and whichthe fish it isif impossiblehis country’s for waves you to wereimagine, as large,cannot on be which thought the of fish by you laughed, with- India. To make a journey to England was practically impossible out seeing. Why, therefore, do you ask about them?”3 forincome him. was However, hardly emphasizing sufficient for his him view to meet on the his point expenditure regarding in his visit to England. He said, “All Indians should be encouraged Sir Syed held the view that education was essential for all round to make a journey to Britain so that they get the opportunity development of human personality. Emphasizing the impor- of seeing for themselves the wonderful results of European tance of education, Sir Syed said, civilization and witnessing the progress made by the European civilization. The Indians, only then will be able to understand “The human soul without education is like a rough piece of how the British have become so rich, powerful and wise. He marble, and unless the sculpture works on it and removes its wanted to encourage the Indians to make the journey to Britain roughness….. its good qualities remain hidden in it, and its fas- - cinating shades, beautiful views… do not appear. The same is cation and development. He decided to visit Britain and for this the condition of human soul. However gentle-hearted man may heto havesold firsthis library hand information and mortgaged in connection of his residence. with western He always edu be, unless he is educated, all sort of good qualities and graces insisted that his aims could not be fully accomplished until he that are latent in him cannot emerge without the assistance of had a thorough knowledge of principles and methods of edu- education”.4 cation. However, he managed for the journey and left Banaras for England in April 1869, accompanied by his sons Syed Hamid Emphasizing the importance of education, in one of his speech- and . es, Sir Syed said, “it appeared to me that nothing could remove the obstacles to progress of Musalmans but education. And The education, in its fullest sense, has been the object in furthering Since 1857 social reforms and English education among the which I have spent the most earnest moments of my life, and Muslims were the cornerstone of Sir Syed’s philosophy. The employed the best energies that lay within my humble power”.5 triumph of the English in 1857 had convinced Sir Syed of the inevitable thrust of their culture and education on Indians. Syed Delivering a speech on self-reliance in education, Sir Syed said, knew the opposition of the Muslims to both of these introduc- “it is regrettables as both the nations whose ancestors had been tion Sir Syed said: so enlightened and educated, defame the ancestors by their ig- norance. Education is becoming widely popular these days. We “No religious prejudices therefore with our learning any lan- have to think in the realm of education as to what subjects we guage spoken by any of the many nations of the world. From should study and what is that the learning of which will not be remote antiquity we have studied Persian, and no prejudice has useful to us”.6 ever interfered with the study of that language. How, then can any religious objection be raised against our learning and per- Sir Syed and Aims of Education fecting ourselves in English”.1 He prompted them to accept the Sir Syed held the view that education was a means of fostering challenges confronting them and the key to meet and overcome and cultivating the inherent potentialities of the child. He said these challenges was the unconditional acceptance of English that through education mankind individually and collectively, marched towards progressive development. Formulating the English education, he did not mean the avoidance of Islamic aim of education Sir Syed said, “the greatest aim of education education.education andBoth western of them scientific were to go ideas. simultaneously. By the acceptance To avoid of and training is to engender piety, morality and humanness in confusion he repeatedly said, human beings”.7 He opposed the theoretical knowledge. He opined that education should aim at the harmonious cultivation “Philosophy will be in our right hand and Natural Science in our of the physical, moral, intellectual and aesthetic sides of human left, And the crown of “there is no God but Allah and Mohammad nature. is His Prophet’ will dorn our heads”.2 Sir Syed’s Proposed Curriculum He was convinced that the British nation had progressed be- After considering the various needs and requirements of Mus- cause of education and unless the education of the masses was lim community, Sir Syed presented the details of his curriculum pushed on European lines, it was impossible for Indians to be- which can be categorized into two types – come civilized. 1. General Education Curriculum With all these good intentions, he reached England on May 4, 2. Special Education Curriculum 1869 and found the people, as expected, highly educated and The general education curriculum was to meet the needs of cultured and he wrote to his friend Raja . It is Muslims – secular as well as spiritual. The special education worthwhile quoting the letter in extensor. “What I have seen and see daily”, he wrote, “is utterly beyond the imagination of system adopted by the government. a native of India. If any of my countryman do not believe what I curriculum as to enable the Muslims to benefit by the education Method of Teaching Sir Syed accepted that any method of teaching that makes the insay, which you may were certainly a number put of them frogs. down When as they frogs saw and a newfishes. traveler, There learner creative and constructive should be followed. He was whitewas once in colour, a living and fish glittering that fell lifefrom silver, a fisherman’s they believed net intovery a kind well- not in favour of traditional method of teaching as it encouraged memorization and failed to prepare the child for the real life. According to Sir Syed learning by doing, observation, playing ly to him, and asked where from he came. The fish said that he was a native of the Ganges. The frogs asked the fish if his watery IJSR - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH 61 Research Paper andVolume freedom : 1 | Issue of expression : 7 | Dec 2012 play • ISSNan important No 2277 - 8179role in methods of learning. However, in this case, English should be studied as a - link and library language. Since India is a multi-language coun- tal method. He said “in old times, theories could be propounded try, the three language formula was developed and implement- andteaching. rebutted Sir Syed sitting also in recommendedthe sequestrated scientific places, andnow experimen it is the ex- ed to promote mother tongue and vernaculars. perimental age. To prove or disprove anything you have to be in the laboratories”.8 To achieve the objectives of teaching through vernacular me-

Administration of Education to provide translations of standard works and treatises on Sir Syed emphasized that for smooth functioning of education differentdium, Sir subjectsSyed established in the English scientific language. society The at Ghazipur other objectives in 1864 institutions, sympathetic, imaginative and democratic system of of the society, in the words of Sir Syed were …. “… all nations administration is essential. He held the view that Indians, es- which once were civilized knew their sciences in their own pecially, Muslims themselves should establish and administer language, and whichever nation tried to progress and civilize their institutions of education in accordance with their needs itself did so by translating all sciences into its own language. and requirements without the interference of the government. Therefore, the easiest and the most effective method for Indi- Emphasizing his point of view, in a speech delivered at Gur- ans to progress, and to progress is the result of the experiences daspur in Punjab on January 27, 1884, Sir Syed said: of many various countries and of thousands of years, is that it should also try, by all possible means, to transfer into its own “Friends, I am of the opinion that no government can take the language all those sciences and arts which are now in the pos- - session of foreign nations”.10 ly believe that it is not possible for the government to meet out fullyresponsibilities the educational of the requirementseducation of the of wholeits subjects. nation, Indian and I firm will - progress only when they themselves, without the interference newed the tradition of love for knowledge of the early Muslims who,In establishing by the middle the scientificof 9th century, society, had Sir translated Syed had the infact, major re their young boys out of their voluntary contribution, and them- work in Greek philosophy, mathematics, medicines etc. as well selvesof the governmentadminister and and control its officers, it”.9 arrange for the education of as Iranian and Indian thought into Arabic.

Medium of Instruction On the whole, we can conclude that Sir Syed’s vision on Educa- He believed that it would be easier for Indians to study differ- tion was a link between traditional and modern education. His ent disciplines of studies through vernacular medium. There educational ideas got practical shape in the form of Moham- is more or less consensus that medium of teaching should be madan Anglo Oriental (MAO) college then rose to an academic mother tongue or the regional language. It will facilitate better institution i.e. Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

REFERENCE 1. Malik, Hafeez : Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan and Muslim Modernization in India and Pakistan, Royal book Company, Karachi, 1988. | 2. Muhmmad, S. : The Aligarh Movement (A Concise Study), Educational Book House, Aligarh, 1999. | 3. Z. Syed : The Glowing Legend of Sir Syed A centennial Tribute, Non-Resident Student’ Centre, AMU, Aligarh, 1998. | 4. Muhammad, Shan : Sir Syed Ahmad Khan - A Political Biography, 1969, p. 210. | 5. Muhammad, Shan: Sir Syed Ahmad – Writings and Speeches, Nachiketa Publication, Bombay, 1972, p. 129. | 6. Ibid., p. 171. | 7. Gujrati, Mohammad, I : Mukammal Majmu- i-Lectures and Speeches, p. 533. | 8. Qureshi, Ishrat Ali : Present Day Relevance of Sir Syed’s Educational Philosophy, Reference taken from Sir Syed: Bazyaft edited by Ateeq Ahmad Siddique, Sir Syed Academy, A.M.U. Aligarh, 1990, p. 308. | 9. Mohammad, Shan: Writ- ing and Speeches of Sir Syed Ahmad, op.cit., p. 171. | 10. Sir Syed Ahmad’s Speech at Banaras on 20th, December, 1867. |

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